


Learning to Fly (Apprendre à Voler)

by silveronthetree



Category: DCU, DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Character of Color, Community: notgreenorblue, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-16
Updated: 2011-03-16
Packaged: 2017-10-17 14:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/177719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveronthetree/pseuds/silveronthetree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilal learns the difference between being able to run and being able to fly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learning to Fly (Apprendre à Voler)

**Author's Note:**

> For the [](http://notgreenorblue.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**notgreenorblue**](http://notgreenorblue.dreamwidth.org/) challenge, based on the prompt “Bilal Asselah, Dick Grayson – Learning to fly”

They're standing on the edge of the flat roof of a building. Bilal thinks it might be a bank, although it is hard to tell from up here. He's been following Batman all over central Paris for the last few hours, learning how to deal with unfamiliar territory and now he is waiting for Batman to finish the call that came over his comm.

"Go where I go," Batman instructed before they set out. "You don't have to get there the same way but follow as closely as you can. I'll catch you if you fall."

Bilal can see the lights of Paris stretched out in front of him in an unrecognizable mass and hears faint chatter from the people below. It is his first night out since he started training, and the last ten days have been the hardest work of his life, long hours filled with too much new information and physical exhaustion. It was exciting at first but his new home has grown stifling and he's sick of air conditioning and the smell of his own sweat. He's been itching to escape, missing the wind in his face (even through the mask) and the sharp stink of the city.

Freerunning with Batman is still hard work but it is wonderful to be free. Bilal thinks how different it is to his own runs. Some of that is because the training has had an effect. Despite a sore shoulder and an aching ankle from the sparring that morning, the jumps are easier now. He's learned exactly where to place his weight during his jumps and why. He's more fluid and there aren't as many awkward landings.

Before tonight he'd always chosen his own path. Back in Clichy-sous-Bois he knew every inch of the buildings and the fastest routes; he knew where he could run free and the parts to avoid; he knew the location of every building with crumbling masonry, the walls with good friction, the roofs with too much washing and the gaps that were too far to jump, the landing sites covered in broken glass. That was his Paris. This part of the city is different. He doesn't know it at all. It isn't even like the frantic nights after seeing Leni's lyrics in the paper and knowing that she would be the next target, when he'd spent hours learning the roofs around Beaubourg, hoping he could save her. Tonight he is just following someone into the unknown. The hours spent poring over the architectural details aren't the same as knowing the landscape with his feet and his heart.

* * *

The worst part of his training is the sewers. Batman appears late one morning (where did he sleep?) and dumps yet another pile of architectural plans in front of him. They look strange, like no building he's ever seen, and it gradually dawns on Bilal that they're for the sewers. He thrusts them away immediately. "I can't do that." Just the thought makes his heart start to pound in a way that leaping between high-rise buildings just doesn't. "You can," Batman says firmly. "You've done it once when it mattered. Better to practice now so you know that you'll be able to do it when necessary."

* * *

One day Batman arrives in street clothes and tells Bilal that they're going freerunning somewhere new. He is wearing what must be a false beard as he was clean shaven yesterday, but it is very convincing. The beard is a little scruffy and fits the beat-up workout clothes and baseball cap Batman is wearing. When Bilal looks closely there is something odd about his nose. The thick, dark hair is a surprise; it isn't what he expected from the blue eyes that he's spent too long watching for cues when they spar. Something isn't right about his clothing. Bilal considers him for a moment and then hands him one of his own new hoodies, "This will be better than yours and I'd lose the cap. Do you have sunglasses?"

"Thanks." Batman says. "You should call me Robi while we're out," and his accent changes. Bilal doesn't recognise it, possibly something Eastern European? He should work on that.

They are running through a park in one of the southern suburbs when they come across a group of teenagers practicing wall runs. The kids watch him vault over a six-foot railing and they shout encouragement when Batman follows with an extra flip. One of them, braver than the rest, shouts after them, asking if they'll show them some of their moves and to Bilal's astonishment, Batman agrees.

They spend a few hours with them, running through the area, trying out different moves. Batman is as patient with them as he is with Bilal. One of the boys has a smile like Aarif's and Bilal helps him up after his tenth unsuccessful attempt at a vault over a bench. After a while they are joined by a couple of more experienced freerunners, whose presence leads Batman to show off increasingly flashy moves – multiple somersaults off walls and crazy leaps and random back flips. Bilal has always stuck to a more efficient style but he tries out some of the things he's been learning indoors. It feels good and he remembers what it was like when he just ran, without a deeper purpose.

It isn't all fun. Bilal tenses when they pass a cop but he just ignores them. He also worries about the mobile phone footage taken by the people watching. Will it compromise his secret identity? His mother lives alone now. But when he mentions it to Batman, he laughs and tells him, "Oracle's taking care of it. Don't worry, none of it will make it to YouTube." He doesn't know what Oracle is but it's a relief.

They field questions about their training -- "we're just visiting" -- and at first Bilal doesn't say much. He can't disguise his accent and he doesn't know how these people will react, but after a while he forgets and joins in the teasing and encouragement. Maybe he'll come back someday.

During a break to rest his ankle (they are both wearing trainers and he misses his new boots) he watches Batman and realises that he's holding back, pretending to stumble over landings and to overshoot jumps, like everyone else. It isn't natural to him because there isn't room for Batman to make that kind of error. When he's out on the streets there are so many other factors to consider. Bilal doesn't think he'll ever be that good.

Bilal could fit in here far more easily than Batman and he wonders for a minute what it would be like to run with them every day in the sunlight. But this suburb with its well-maintained grass, inattentive cops and graffiti-less walls isn't the same as home and they won't understand.

* * *

The first time he flies using the jump line is amazing. He's been training for several weeks now and it's finally time. Batman shoots the line for him but he jumps on his own. That long leap into space knowing that he will (most likely, hopefully) be caught by that thin line before he plummets to the ground is freeing. It's the culmination of everything he ever wanted from his running. When they land on the adjacent roof Bilal can feel his mouth stretched in a massive grin beneath the mask. He hears snippets of Batman talking – "tensile strength" and "wind speed" and "dynamic materials" and "break your back" and durability of masonry" but none of it really registers. It isn't until Batman claps a hand on his shoulder that Bilal snaps out of it. When Batman says, "If that's all clear, want to try it on your own?" it's a wrench to admit that he didn't hear a word.

Batman laughs at that. "I noticed," he says and repeats it all and this time Bilal takes it all in and asks questions. He can't quite believe that that thin line is enough to allow all of this.

The second time is even better. Now he's in full control even though Batman told him exactly where to aim. Bilal can't stop himself shouting with joy. This time when he lands, he watches for Batman. "Can I try again?"

Batman is smiling widely now, more relaxed than he usually is in the suit. "I'll have to take you skydiving sometime."

Bilal shudders because that would involve an aeroplane and he still doesn't think he could deal with being that enclosed. But a chance to fly further? Maybe it will be enough.

Five jumps later they are back on the roof of a multi-storey car park. Bilal looks out over the city and it looks different. Now he can see the bank from that first night out and the position of the entrance to the sewers. He knows in which direction he'd find the park where they met the kids and he can even imagine he sees the tower blocks of Clichy-sous-Bois in the distance. He sees how they all fit together and it isn't an abstract pattern any longer. He could fly to any one of those places if he wishes.

"Ready for the last jump of the night?" Batman says and Bilal shoots his line into the city and soars.


End file.
